Warm Your Outdoors and Enjoy Your Pool This Fall

Once summer ends, many people start putting time in their pool on the back burner. The cooler months usually equate to less time in the water and more time doing other things. But the reality is, a pool can be enjoyed year-round, even in the fall months. The air is refreshing and the water can feel good, especially if you warm it up. Read on for ways to bring warmth to your backyard and enjoy your pool and outdoor living space this fall. 

Heat Your Pool

While pool ownership isn’t meant to be enjoyed just in the summer, it may be harder to do once temperatures cool down and your pool isn’t heated. There are a few cost-effective ways to heat your pool so you can maximize use in the cooler months of the year. 

Pool Heater: A pool heater is a more expensive option, but also a very smart way to maximize your backyard investment. They can give you almost total control of your pool’s water and will add many extra days to your swim season. 

Because of the different pool heaters available, it can be hard to choose the right one. Before buying a pool heater, you should consider things like your location, pool size, temperature needs, and of course, your budget. That said, a pool heater adds value over time and lasts you a long time. Add up the cost for a few years or so, and you’ll find that a pool heater could very likely have a lower net cost.

Heat Pump: You should get a heat pump if you value long-term gain over short-term expense. While it saves you money over time, the upfront cost for a heat pump is not for everybody. However, once you install your heat pump, it can last up to 15 years. Heat pumps can be installed during pool construction or retrofitted at any time after.

The initial buying price is the most expensive part, but a heat pump’s efficiency will help offset that cost. You measure a heat pump’s efficiency in COP, and the average value is between 5.0 to 6.0. This makes the efficiency rate to be around 500 to 600%, so a single unit of electricity is converted into 5-6 units of heat. Heat pumps are definitely the best option for both overall energy and money savings.

Fire Up the Ambiance

While fire features won’t warm up the pool water, they will warm up the ambiance and create a more welcoming and cozy poolside environment in the cooler months. Fire pits and fireplaces are great additions to your outdoor living area, allowing you and your guests to enjoy a beautifully lit area that will only enhance a night swim or relaxing evening poolside. 

Fire Pit: Fire pits are easy to use, cost-efficient, and portable, which makes them a perfect option to warm your outdoors. While they were originally designed to be situated lower on the ground, the options of shape, size, and materials have evolved, leaving many outdoor living designers the ability to get a bit more creative. While wood-burning fire pits have been the conventional choice, the focus is shifting to those that are fueled by gas or propane as it’s friendlier on the environment and provides better air quality. You can make a fire pit even cozier by incorporating seating around the fire pit, complete with accent pillows and lanterns. 

Outdoor Fireplace: Having an outdoor fireplace not only heats up your backyard during fall and the subsequent colder months, but it also provides a permanent hangout spot. You can easily add a seating area near the fireplace, like an outdoor sectional sofa to create a more welcoming atmosphere. When it comes to the fireplace design, you can build it yourself, get it custom-made, or even go for a prefab unit. Some of the various materials to choose from for an outdoor fireplace are metal, brick, concrete, and stone, and they can be fueled either by gas or wood. There are a few things to consider before getting one, such as the location of your property, previous landscaping, and existing structures.  

Your Midlothian Pool BuilderA pool is a significant investment, and being able to enjoy it throughout the entire year makes all the difference. Give the custom pool builders at A Oasis Pools a call today to learn more about the different ways you can add warmth to your pool and maximize your pool usage in the fall months.